Google's Play Store now has a way for visitors to avoid downloading mobile apps and games with in-app ads. A label shows smartphone apps that contain annoying ads and appears beside a different label that shows if an app contains in-app purchases. It highlights the controversial issue of using ad-blocking when many content providers and app developers rely on ad revenue to stay in business.   

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Android Authority first noticed the new feature on Play Store. If there are no non-ad options some app store customers might purchase the app or game anyway. However, if there are such alternatives it is likely they will download the apps without advertisements.

The new no-ad labels could also have a negative effect on Google since the Alphabet company makes a boatload of money from advertising including in-app ads, according to Digital Trends. However, it seems to want to give customers more choices.    

The main issue about in-app ads is that they are usually perceived by customers as being annoying as a buzzing fly. In addition, they are sometimes used in tricky ways such as causing mobile device users to make accidental clicks.  

A big advantage of the new Google Play feature is that it allows customers to see which apps have advertisements before they spend money on a new app. It could help to prevent having regrets later.

Google has been working on the change to its app store for quite a while. In late 2015 the search giant asked developers about whether their apps included ads, in order to provide more transparency.

The company has also been trying to promote higher-quality software in Play Store. This has included awards for some of the app store's big developers.

In related news, this week some reports hinted that Play Store could show up on Google's Chrome OS. It could result in the app store being added to other desktop operating systems including Windows and Mac OS, according to Ars Technica. This would allow the Google ecosystem to battle Microsoft and Apple on their own PC platforms.    

There is also the chance that Chrome and Android could join forces and merge into a brand new desktop OS. However, the possibility seems to have a different goal than Google Play being on rival companies' platforms.   

Here's how to block ads in Firefox: